Hatch cover



D. HESS HATCH COVER July 1, 1947. v

Filed April 9, 1945 a 4 49 he INVENTOR .flaaza kss BY 3% ATT RNY l 'atented July I, 1947 UNITED srA'rE Application April 9, 1945, Serial No. 587,343

2 Claims. (01. 1 14 201) The invention here disclosed for ships hatches.

Objects of the invention are to provide a hatch cover of strong, rugged design, which will not warp, twist or get out of line, of low cost and simple to manufacture, which will be easy and safe to handle and which while of definite size will be of a structure that may readily be out down or trimmed to fit a particular hatch frame.

Other desirable objects and the novel features by which the purposes of the invention are attained will appear or are definitely set forth in the following specification. I

The drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate a present practical embodiment of the invention but changes coming within the actual scope of the invention may be made, as will be clear from the following:

Fig. 1 in the drawing is a plan view illustrating one of the covers in the process of manufacture;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the completed cover;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view as on substantially the plane of line 33 of Fig. 21;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View as on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, but with the planks assembled and the second hand being put in place.

The cover shown is made up of three planks 5, 5, '7, though the number, size .and proportions of planks used may vary to suit requirements.

These planks are grooved across the upper and lower faces and about the outer edges as indicated at 8, 8, and these grooves are set inward from the ends of the planks to leave clean wood ends lfi, beyond the grooves, which may be trimmed, if need be, by an ordinary saw, to fit a particular hatchway.

Bands l i and i2 are seated flush in the grooves 8, 9.

For simple, inexpensive and quick assembly the band I i is made complete and solid and the other band I12, left open at one end as indicated at I3, Fig. 4. The edge boards 5 and I are then inserted and engaged with their grooves 8 in the closed band N, Fig. 1. After this the middle board 6 is driven endwise in between the free ends of the edge boards until its forward end passes through and is caught in the upper and lower reaches of the closed band. The spring of the Wood will allow for this driving and the upper and lower corner edges of the middle board may be slightly rounded or beveled at l4 to ease the spreading of the upper and lower reaches of the band necessary to admit the end of this relates to covers 2 board. In cases where a particularly close fit is required, the side edges of the middle plank and the upper and lower faces which have to pass under the band may be greased or waxed.

After the middle board is fully seated, the open band I2 is slipped edgewise into position in its groove 9, as indicated in Fig. 4, and the ends, which are made to meet fully, welded together at l5.

For this welding operation the boards may be held together and the band held tightly closed by an encircling or enclosing form of clamp.

' To provide a safe, strong and convenient form of handhold which will not possibly pullout or break loose, the edge boards are formed with substantially spherical hand hole cavities IS in the upper faces of the same, near the ends and within the inner boundaries of the band grooves 8 and 9.

Thus when the bands are in place the inner edge portions of the same extend over outer edge portions of the hand cavities to serve as integral grips or handholds.

One or more tie rods I! may be driven through aligning bores l8 in the planks and headed over or otherwise secured at the ends at .19.

The bands being set inward from the ends, brace the planks against angling, longitudinally displacing strains such as might be occasioned by dropping the cover on one of its corners.

Screws or similar fastenings 20 may be extended through the bands into the boards.

As particularly indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the two bands may be alike except that the first one 8, may be welded closed before the boards are inserted, and the second, l2, left open and not welded until the boards are in place. This allows for formation of duplicate parts.

It is contemplated, among other possible changes, that both bands may be Welded. in place about the planks While the parts are held in properly assembled relation.

What is claimed is:

1. A hatch cover comprising planks in edge-to edge relation, those at the outer edges having hand hole openings in the upper faces, near the ends of the same, said planks having grooves circumscribing the hatch cover, extending across the upper and lower'faces and about the outer edges of the same, said grooves being located inward from the ends of the planks and crossing over the edge portions of said hand hole openings nearest the adjoining ends of the planks and bands surrounding the hatch cover, seated flush in said grooves and having edge portions extending over the edge portions of said hand hole openings to form handgrips located along the inner edges of said bands.

2. A Wooden plank hatch cover having a hand hole forming recess sunk in the face of the same.

at a point inward from one end and a, groove circumscribing the hatch cover, disposed inward from that end and crossing over the edge .portion of said sunken. recess nearest that. end, and a band surrounding; the hatch c0ver,j seated flush 10 in said circumscribing groove with the inner edge of the same extending over said edge portion of.

the sunken recess and thereby providing a flush handhold along the inner edge of said band.

DUDLEY HESS.

REFERENCES CITED.

The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

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